


how the sail smiles

by orphan_account



Category: One Piece
Genre: Actual Sunshine Luffy, F/F, Family Feels, Friendship, M/M, On a scale of 1 to 10; how much do the Strawhats love their Captain
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-29
Updated: 2016-07-29
Packaged: 2018-07-27 14:17:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7621675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Luffy has an irreplaceable spot in all of their hearts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	how the sail smiles

**Author's Note:**

> here. have strawhat and co feels. reviews are always appreciated, especially since i have yet to find my footing with these characters <3

_Chopper_

 

Doctor Kureha taught Chopper how to use his talents for the greater good. She taught him his true worth, and how in order to follow his dreams, he would have to face the world with a spine of steel.

She didn’t teach him to smile, though. That was Hiluluk. He showed Chopper the good in the world, and how dreams _were_ attainable no matter how foolish they may sound. It took Chopper a while to open up, and when Luffy came, shaking his world to its very bones, rattling it deep and forcing Chopper to see all that he was missing, Chopper learned that the truest form of happiness could be seen in only a smile―Luffy’s smile.

It came to his attention that Luffy had been invading his space more than usual. While it wasn't uncommon to find Chopper sprawled in someone’s lap, especially Zoro’s, Chopper had been a bit overwhelmed for the past few weeks. Luffy had gotten himself hurt, Usopp had gotten sick, and Zoro and Sanji constantly seemed to attract wounds.

He didn't really know what was going on with himself. Maybe it was just a phase he was going through. No science could explain his sudden capriciousness, or how with every failed experiment for a cure Chopper felt his lungs caving into his stomach. His skills appeared to be deserting him one by one, leaving him with a gnawing apprehension that ate away at him day by day.

“It's not right,” Chopper mumbled under his breath. “It's not the right chemical base.”

His fur felt too hot, and his body grew tense when he realized that he had failed yet again.

“Hey, Chopper! What are you doing?”

Chopper raised his head slowly, pushing the microscope to the side in disgust and tiredly looking at Luffy. “Nothing of substance as of late it seems.”

Luffy simply looked at him for a while, cocking his head from side to side and humming tunelessly. When he moved forward and placed his hands on Chopper’s cheeks, the reindeer nearly jumped out of his fur.

“What are you doing?” Chopper asked, more curious than anything.

“You don't look too good,” Luffy said, his expression as grave as it could get. “I don't see you on the deck as often as I should.”

Chopper sighed and failed to bat away Luffy’s hands. “I've been busy.”

“Tell me.”

“There's nothing to say, Luffy.”

Luffy leaned in closer, mushing Chopper’s cheeks and laughing, clear and _bright_ , at the sight.

“You look like an angry raccoon!” he said in-between giggles.

Chopper yelled out his offense, squirming out of Luffy’s hold and blushing in embarrassment. Luffy was still laughing, his face turning red and his lips curled in joy, and Chopper felt his heart settle a little more comfortably in his chest at the sight.

He found himself laughing along, his smile widening as the seconds passed, not realizing the pleased gleam in Luffy’s eyes when Chopper set aside his work and followed him outside.

 

_Franky_

 

Franky was livid. Franky was _pissed_.

His captain was a living nightmare packed in a small, hyperactive body that could barely contain his overbearing personality, and he was _reckless beyond belief._ Franky was too, but he wasn't dumb enough to accidentally fall into the ocean five times in three days. That's five times Luffy had gotten close to death, and Franky thought that it was five times _too many_.

The island that they had previously docked at had left Luffy in a state of euphoria, drugged. Chopper deduced there was something off with the atmosphere, some sort of chemical imbalance that sent Luffy into a high that he had trouble coming back from. It affected Robin as well, though not to the extent it had Luffy.

Robin just giggled more. Luffy actively tried to kill himself with the dopiest grin on his face.

Franky marched up to Luffy when Zoro pulled him out of the water yet again, his metal fists balled in anger.

“Luffy, why don't you ever listen to us?” he yelled, only growing more incensed when Luffy waved him off with a laugh. “You're not in a right state of mind. Stay away from the damn water, idiot!”

Zoro bared his teeth in agreement, standing up and squeezing the water out of his bandana.

“M’sorry! Well, not really, oops! I'll try not to do it again, Franky,” Luffy said as he coughed up saltwater. “Agh, I feel gross and hungry.”

Franky stayed still, his jaw tensing when Luffy let out a weary sigh. He didn't know why he was getting so angry. Luffy’s antics usually gave him great amusement. More often than not, he joined in, but for some reason, Luffy had crossed the line this time.

“You're our captain,” Franky grit out. “It's your job to take care of yourself. Stop taking it lightly.”

Luffy hopped to his feet, swaying slightly due to the aftereffect of the seawater. With an obnoxious grin, he stretched out his arms and pressed the pads of his fingers against the sides of Franky’s lips. Franky tried to recoil, unsure of what Luffy was doing, but when Luffy merely pushed his lips upward, forming the curve of a smile, Franky stopped moving.

“Okay,” Luffy said, his voice sincere. “You got it.”

Franky didn't need Luffy’s fingers to hold up his smile anymore. “ _Super_.”

 

_Sanji_

 

“You’re a fool,” Sanji said, almost out of habit, when Luffy opened his mouth and inhaled the contents of his plate. “You shouldn’t eat the chicken bone, Luffy. You are going to choke yourself to death.”

Luffy wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his arms stretching out for more food. From his side, Zoro gave a discontented grunt but didn’t stop Luffy from stealing his bread. “I know you’d save me,” Luffy said cheerily, stuffing his face all the while. “Just like I would save you, no matter the cost.”

Sanji raised his eyebrow to hide how pleased he was. “Hopefully, it won’t come to that,” he replied. “It’d be a dark day when I need saving.”

From behind his glass, Luffy laughed. Nami made a noise that sounded more condescending than Sanji would like to admit, but he turned to her anyway. Her orange hair seemed to shine under the kitchen light, and Sanji intended to compliment her but Nami beat him to the first word.

“Luffy’s already saved you countless times; same with Zoro and Chopper. Even Robin―and me! Don’t act so tough, Sanji. The only ones here who have obtained the goal of perfection are Robin and I,” Nami said as a matter-of-factly. “Imagine that: Sanji as the damsel in distress.”

She laughed and Sanji felt his cheeks burn when the rest of the crew joined in. It was all in good fun, but Sanji noticed that Luffy’s laughter wasn’t as impassioned as it usually was. He met Luffy’s eyes then and nodded once at the sight of Luffy’s falling smile. Luffy worried about him, even when he wasn’t supposed to or if he even realized it, and that convinced Sanji to never leave his side. Sanji thought it was miraculous how Luffy could see into a person’s heart and wrap them around his finger, but Luffy was a special kind of person―one in a million.

Sanji hoped things wouldn’t get so dire, but the New World held more dangers in its crevices and corners than Sanji had ever seen in his life. At some point, they might all need saving from knights on white horses. And when that time came for Luffy, Sanji would do so with a smile on his face, to let his captain know that his _nakama always_ had his back.

 

_Brook_

 

“Sing me a song,” Luffy's voice always cut through his thoughts like a blade. “Write a song for me.”

Brook chuckled softly, smoothing his skeletal fingers down the Sunny’s clean wooden sides. “Songwriting takes time, Captain. Give me a few days and I'll have one ready.”

Luffy made a drawn out noise in response, his hands lacing together behind his head. Brook wasn't surprised when Luffy stretched out his arm and propelled himself closer to Brook with a wide smile that showed off his teeth.

“It doesn't have to be a good one,” he said, leaning back on the balls of his feet. “I haven't heard you sing in a couple of days.”

 _‘Ah,_ so that was it,’ Brook thought, ‘he misses my music.’

Luffy always sang along with him, dancing to his songs and belting out ballads until he tired himself out. Brook regarded Luffy as the most genuine audience he’d ever had, and there was nothing Brook wouldn’t do to see Luffy dance around the deck, a smile on his face. He supposed he owed Luffy that much, for saving him from a desolate life surrounded by the dead and sea; but Brook also knew that it wasn’t just a sense of duty that motivated him. Luffy had wormed his way between his bones and firmly planted himself into Brook’s life. Brook would do it just to see Luffy happy, because if his captain was content, so was he.

“Alright,” Brook said, sweeping his arms in a dramatic fashion. “Please take a seat. The show is going to start in two minutes!”

Luffy excitedly threw himself onto one of the benches on the deck, his feet swinging back and forth like a child. Brook noticed that the shirt he wore wasn’t one Luffy had bought for himself. The design was stranger than the things he usually wore, so Brook assumed it was a gift.

When he came back from retrieving his instruments, his audience had grown. Sanji and Usopp were still absent, but Brook knew they were busy so he didn’t take offense. It was hard to stay mad at his fellow crewmates anyway. A true Strawhat only held grudges against those who threatened the family and ship.

 _Family_. Brooke didn’t remember much about what his family was like in his past-life, but he hoped that they lived a satisfying life, like the one he was living now. As he started to play, Luffy hopping on the deck and moving his feet, Brook found himself blinded by the smiling sun above and before him.

 

_Robin_

 

“I’m tired,” Luffy said. He had gotten bored peering over Robin’s shoulder while she read ancient myths concerning the Fishman Islands, and it was impossible to shake off a bored Luffy without getting dragged into some sort of crazy endeavor. However, Robin was an exception. She was older, calmer, and wasn’t keen on hanging off the top of the mast and yelling her fiercest desires to the sea in the middle of a hot day. She also didn’t have an inclination to fish, so there was only one option left.

She patted the cushion next to her and Luffy grinned, pleased, at her with crinkled eyes. “Thanks, Robin, but don’t braid my hair this time. I’m not a kid.”

Robin chuckled softly at his pout. Luffy wasn’t a child, no, but he had more innocence and joy than Robin had ever seen in a single person. She wanted to protect that: the rare treasure that couldn’t be replicated.

“Alright,” she conceded, “but if you drool on my leg again, I will make you read a chapter of this book.” Robin knew that she could never force Luffy to read unless it was an adventure book with suspense and fists, but the threat stood strong.

Luffy made a distressed sound, resting his head on Robin’s lap and throwing his arm over his eyes. “Don’t even joke about those things,” he whined. “That looks like a stuffy old _history_ book. Talk about gross.”

Robin hummed amusedly, her fingers gentle as they turned the page. Luffy was a light, comfortable weight that was reminiscent of a blanket―albeit a very loud and warm blanket. He quickly dozed off when Robin started reading passages out of the book, soft sounds occasionally leaving his lips and making Robin wonder what sort of dreams Luffy had.

“The mermaids covet those who can look into the future and past with a sage eye. Knowledge is as precious as a pearl, making mermaids one of the most intelligent sea creatures known to the World Government.”

Luffy looked unhappy when he shifted, his eyes scrunching up in displeasure. Robin hid her smile behind her hand.

“Those of the mer-race also cherish dreams and those who can interpret them. This excerpt is quoted from an academic tome from the Ryugu Palace:

_Dreams are what make the sea thrive. Without dreams, the fish would be colorless, the waves small and unthreatening; the sails would no longer billow in the wind for there would be nothing to explore. Dreams and the sea are interconnected. The sea is endless, as is imagination, and we have only discovered a small part of it.”_

Robin paused, noticing that Luffy had fallen quiet. She set down her book with an inquisitive gaze, memorizing every little detail on Luffy’s face as if he were a priceless artifact.

“Sleep tight, but not for long,” she murmured, the smile on her face soft, and when she picked her book back up, Robin couldn't tell if Luffy had smiled back in response or if it was just her imagination.

 

_Usopp_

 

“Do you remember when we first met?” Luffy asked, and Usopp rolled his eyes. “You were a dork. Still are, but that's beside the point.”

Usopp sighed in frustration, pushing his goggles onto his head. “What do you want, Luffy? Can't you see I'm busy?”

“And remember when you said you were gonna be the captain?” Luffy said. “Oh man, those were good times.”

“Is there a point to this conversation?” Usopp asked, genuinely curious as to why Luffy had barged into his factory in the middle of an herbology experiment. “I feel like we're getting somewhere, but you might need a push.”

Luffy squinted. “Not really. I just wanted to talk to you since you haven't been outside for several hours.”

Usopp paused at that, his eyes widening behind his goggles. He felt a strong rush of affection for Luffy crest over him like an unstoppable wave. There were moments when Usopp wanted to strangle Luffy, but there were also moments when he thanked the seas that Luffy had charged right into his life. He felt touched that Luffy had missed him, and a little smug. Best friends were inseparable, but even though they were in the same vicinity, Usopp supposed Luffy had to have been lonely out on the deck with just Nami and Sanji.

“Was Nami nagging you or something?” His knee bounced as Luffy all but collapsed on the seat beside him. “Did she put rouge on you again?”

Luffy released a despairing wail. “Don't remind me!” He sat up then, his expression stony. “And don't act like you weren't dolled up too; and Chopper and Sanji. _Guh_ , Nami’s merciless.”

“Shut up! We promised to never speak of that again!” Usopp hissed, carefully setting down his equipment. “That was a dark time for us all!”

Luffy looked annoyed, and Usopp recognized the exaggerated lilt to his voice that Luffy tended to get when he grew irritated. “ _Huh?_ You brought it up first!”

He felt his eyebrow twitch, his hands aching for something to grab in frustration, but when Usopp noticed the satisfied look on Luffy’s face, he realized his captain was messing with him on purpose.

“Damn you!” Usopp jumped from his seat, chasing Luffy, who had started laughing hysterically, around the room. “You're so annoying!”

Luffy side-stepped to avoid crashing into one of the cabinets, but Usopp couldn't stop himself in time. Quickly, Luffy’s hand shot out and grabbed him, sending them flying into the corner of the room. They barely grazed a table swarmed with plants. Usopp landed with a grunt, Luffy sprawled on top of him like an unruly child.

“Oops,” Luffy said, and Usopp replied with a “ _f_ _uck you_ ” but it was muffled by Luffy’s hair. “Well, that was fun!”

Usopp groaned and shoved Luffy off. His head rang from the impact and his hair was probably more tangled than ever, but when Luffy toppled to the floor, laughing so joyously that Usopp cataloged the moment for hope during darker times, he couldn't bring himself to care.

A few seconds passed until Usopp joined in, his chest heaving and happy tears forming in the corners of his eyes, his experiment forgotten.

 

_Nami_

 

“You know, I don't remember my mother,” Luffy said, his expression distant. “All I know is that I wouldn't be here without her.”

Nami felt something in her stomach tug. “Yeah? I'm sure she was beautiful and fierce. I've seen photos of your father, and you two don't seem to share a lot of the same features. Looks like you're a momma’s boy, Luffy.”

Luffy raised his arms over his head and stretched before falling back against the tangerine tree with more care than Nami had ever seen. He slowly closed his eyes.  

“Tell me more about her: Bellemere, your mom. She might not be here with us, but she's still part of the family.”

Something in her gave out then. Nami’s shoulders slumped and she looked at Luffy―the curve of his eyelashes, his jaw―with a hard eye before realizing that talking would help him as much as it would help her.

“Are you alright, Lu?” she asked after a moment’s silence. “You're awfully quiet.”

Luffy opened his eyes, and Nami remembered why Luffy was so special, no matter how bad he was with money. “Yeah. I'm alright. Just making sure everyone else is, though. A good captain never lets his crew get sad for too long.”

“I’m not sad or depressed,” Nami clarified. “It's just, you know what it feels like―I know you do―to love someone _so much_ that you never truly stop thinking about them. Bellemere is always on my mind, the tangerine trees are a physical testament to that, but she's not the only one that's on my mind.”

Luffy sat up then, his spine straight: “You’ve gotten Boa’s illness,” he said.

Nami looked at him in confusion. “The Shichibukai? Boa Hancock is sick?”

“From ‘Lovesickness’ or whatever. Says  _I_ gave it to her, but that's just a load of crap if you ask me.”

“Lovesick?” Nami repeated, her cheeks turning pink when Luffy smirked. “Poor woman, what a waste.”

“Yeah,” Luffy agreed. “She's my friend, but it's pretty annoying. If I keep on ignoring her advances, hopefully, she'll get the message since she won't listen when I tell it to her straight.”

Nami leaned back on her elbows. “You have such a hard life,” she teased. “Poor Luffy.”

Luffy giggled and rolled onto his back. “You really miss her don't you, Nami? Don't worry, she's not going anywhere. She'll be there waiting for you, I know it. Vivi loves you _so completely_. She wouldn't let you go.”

Crossing her legs, Nami hummed. She felt her face heat up, but her chest ached in pain. It hurt being so far away from her heart.

“How romantic, Luffy,” she said. “Has Sanji gotten inside your brain?”

Luffy kicked his feet in the air, his straw hat on his chest. “Vivi is my nakama too. I don't miss her like you miss her, but you two are family to me. I want you to be happy together, Nami.”

Nami didn't―couldn't―respond for a while. She watched with blurry sight as Luffy rolled in the grass, his button-up getting wrinkled and his hair sticking up in awkward places. It was hard to believe he was real sometimes. As much as she loved treasure, Nami knew there wasn't anything that equaled the worth of her captain, of her fellow _nakama,_ of her family and the woman she loved.

Priceless _._

 

_Zoro_

 

“Are you napping?”

Zoro turned to his side, growling when Luffy started to poke incessantly at his side. “Hey, Zoro. Hey. _Hey_.”

“What do you want,” Zoro groaned tiredly. His neck was sore from the position he had fallen asleep in, and while Luffy got comfortable next to him, he stretched silently. “I'm not going fishing with you again.”

Luffy sang something under his breath. “Of course you are. Not now, though. I have a question to ask you.”

Zoro frowned and folded his arms, looking straight at Luffy and challenging him to a staring contest. Luffy didn't move for a while, his eyes watering with the effort of not blinking. After he won, he laid down, using Zoro as a pillow and winding his arms around his waist.

“You're weird,” Luffy said.

“Like you're one to talk,” Zoro scoffed, not moving to push Luffy off. It was a comfortable, familiar weight on his lap that reminded Zoro that he wasn't alone. “You're like an attention-starved dog. Go visit Brook. I'm sure he'll write you a song.”

“I don't want to,” Luffy complained. “I still gotta ask you something.”

Zoro sighed. “Spit it out.”

“Let me see you smile,” Luffy said, looking up at Zoro and pushing his hat back with two fingers. “It's been more than an hour.”

Luffy was strange, but that was a given and a known fact. Zoro took pride in knowing that he knew Luffy better than the rest of the crew, but Luffy was still a mystery to him in several ways. It was hard to imagine a person who saw others’ happiness as their own, but Luffy always managed the impossible.

“Come on, just one?”

Zoro roughly bounced his leg up and down, laughing quietly when Luffy yelped and was tossed back on the deck. “Now that's funny,” Zoro grinned.

Quickly, Luffy sat up, his face contorted in anger before he saw Zoro’s expression. He left Zoro where he was as he left for the kitchens, presumably to bother the shitty cook. Zoro was a little bewildered, more amused than anything.

He was glad to make Luffy happy, even if that meant being happy himself.

 

_Law_

 

“Everybody’s at the feast, Torao. Robin’s wondering where you are.”

Law didn't open his eyes and stayed reclined against the deck of the Sunny. He was exhausted in every way. His body and heart ached, his stomach was hollow, but Law couldn't bring himself to move to make it _better_ . Everything was too fresh in his mind: Doflamingo’s defeat, the pain of Dressrosa, his own shortcomings, Luffy’s warmth and steadfastness, and his sheer determination. Their _victory_.

It was all too much.

“Hey, Torao,” Luffy was whispering now, and Law fought against the urge to look at the expression on Luffy’s face. Instead, he wondered. “ _Torao_!”

‘There he goes whining again,’ Law thought. ‘Dragging out my name like it'll get me to cave in.’

“You looked so sad,” Luffy said then, and Law’s eyes shot open, shocked. “You _look_ so sad. Why? We won, and you _lived._ ”

Law pushed him back, his hands splayed over Luffy’s sharp collarbones. “Stop it,” he spit out. “You choose the worst times to be insightful.”

Luffy sat down next to him, his eyebrows scrunched in concentration. The noise from the other side of the ship was drowned out when Luffy absentmindedly rubbed at the spot where Law had touched him.

“Friends don't let other friends suffer,” Luffy shrugged. “I don't really have to explain myself.”

Law took a deep breath, clutching onto _kikoku_ and glaring at Luffy from under his hat. “Brat.”

“Jerk,” Luffy quipped immediately. “Come on,” he held out his hand for Law to take. “Join us. I already ate all the meat, but you were too slow so deal with it.”

Moving to stand up on his own, Law smoothed down his coat. “I expected no less from you,” he said, resisting the urge to grab Luffy’s face when the latter glared at him for ignoring his hand. “Eating all the meat then interrupting my nap. When will your tyranny end?”

Luffy stopped him in his tracks, placing a surprisingly gentle hand on his bandaged chest. “Did you…” he looked utterly flabbergasted. Law thought that was a good look on him. “Torao, you're being _playful_.”

Law frowned, noticing the way Luffy’s face stopped at the sight. “I am not.”

“Are too.”

“I don't have time for this,” he said, attempting to push Luffy away. The hand on his chest burned.

“Before we go, I want to know and you're gonna tell me: are you okay, Law?” Luffy asked. “Don't disregard me, not after all we've been through.”

Law paused. Luffy had a way of making his heart  _sting_ in ways he'd never imagined.

“Luffy, thank you,” he said, letting a small smile form on his lips. “Right now, I'm better than I have been in years.”

Luffy returned his smile tenfold, and Law found himself thinking that it was a sight he'd definitely miss when he left.

 

_Ace_

 

Luffy was stupid and gross. He was seven years old and a complete pain in the ass. Ace hadn't expected Garp to come back to Dadan with a walking stick of snot and affection, and he didn't appreciate it. Especially since Luffy followed him around everywhere and insisted that he was the stronger of the two.

“It's never going to happen!” Ace shouted after Luffy had once again fallen flat on the ground. “You can't even protect yourself! What makes you think you can beat me?”

Luffy jumped to his feet, disturbing the forest floor. “I believe in myself! I'll be the best pirate there is, you just watch!”

Luffy was crazy and obnoxious and Ace soon found sleeping without him by his side impossible. The sharp pain from bony elbows digging into his side became a normalcy in Ace’s life, just as he was sure his loud snoring turned into lullabies for Luffy. They were inseparable, and when Sabo came along, they were unstoppable.

“Ace,” Luffy said one night, his voice muffled by Ace’s shirt. “I'm gonna protect you. I'll get stronger and beat up mean people and then you'll see that I'm awesome like you and Sabo.”

With a soft sigh, Ace threw his arm over Luffy’s waist and accidentally kicked Sabo’s leg. “You're the little brother. I have to do the protecting―”

“Not true―”

“And while you might not be as awesome as me, don't let anybody ever tell you that you're not awesome, Luffy. They're just dirty liars.”

Ace felt Luffy grab onto his shirt. “Just a couple hours ago, you said I wasn't awesome. Ace is stupid.”

With a good-natured laugh, Ace scratched his head. “Well, I don't count ‘cause I'm your big brother. I'll always be your big brother.”

From the side, Sabo mumbled a soft “ _me too_.”

Luffy picked at his nose, wiping whatever he found on the back of Ace’s shirt (much to his dismay). “Even big brothers need protecting. There's nothin’ wrong with that, is there?”

Ace shook his head, smiling down at Luffy and feeling his heart settle when Luffy grinned. “Guess not, Lu.”

The last time Ace saw Luffy smile was on a battlefield, the hope in his eyes infecting Ace and making him _believe_ that everything would truly be okay. That hope didn't last for long, and when he realized that he would leave Luffy for good, his chest _screaming_ , Ace mourned the fact that he couldn't see Luffy grow into his hat.

But he smiled anyway. He was thankful for the life he lived, for the people he met and the adventures he had; and even though he was the only one on the field smiling, he put in all his last hopes toward Luffy, hoping that he would smile soon, with him.

Always.

  


**Author's Note:**

> nami and vivi are sea lesbians and no one can tell me otherwise.


End file.
